Ethics and Sustainability in Dairy Farming

Running head: ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY
1
Students’ Name
Institutional Affiliation
Ethics and Sustainability

ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY 2
Ethics and Sustainability
Introduction
Dairy farming is an economic activity that involves the use of moral foundation in
determining issues concerned with the rightness or wrongness of decisions made in the daily
practice of the profession. Morality of actions when dealing with the cows, the production of
milk, and the management of the resources generated for profitability and sustainability of assets
involved require contemplation of the necessary moral values in the profession (Sandøe &
Christiansen, 2013). According to Brown University (2018), the morality of an action depends
on the implication it has on the agent of action and the related impacts on the subjects involved.
Summary of Issues and Frameworks Discussed in Part A
The matters articulated in part A of the assignment involves the morality of actions when
dealing with dairy cows. Notably, the cows give birth to calves that are separated from their
mothers denying them a lactating spell to bolster their growth and development (Villanueva,
2016). Notably, the alienation of the calves with their mothers happens before they have learned
the herding behaviors necessary for them to survive on their own. These actions are ethically
wrong for the calves and their mothers because they suffer psychological and physiological
deprivation (Greek & Menache, 2013). In the words of Alford & Signori (2014), virtue ethics
elucidates this moral situation as the farmers focus on the economic benefits they acquire from
the dairy farming without focusing on the effects they have on the cows and their offspring.
Notwithstanding, cows are slaughtered for meat after a period of milk production when they
cease producing milk eliciting fairness or justice application of morality that offers individuals
with the opportunity to consider if their actions are fair to others.
Reflection of future workplace behavior

ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY 3
Notably, my passion for animals, their health, and rights make me want to become a
veterinary officer in the future. According to Rowlands (2013), animals especially domestic ones
are exposed to various dangers by their keepers something that requires critical focus to ensure
their safety. Indeed, all animals have rights and denying some of the creation of the right to enjoy
life implies that there are ethical gaps that require urgent attention from stakeholders (Greek &
Menache, 2013). Mostly, human beings have used some unfounded justification to misuse
animals, and dairy farmers are on the onslaught for overemphasizing on making money and
neglecting the lives of their dairy animals. As a veterinary officer, I intend sanity among dairy
farmers for sustainable and responsible dairy farming. The two moral foundations that are virtue
ethics and justice and fairness approach will help me draw lines of interaction and help farmers
know how they can rear their animals under a mutual benefit.
Virtue ethical approach is imperative in making dairy farming a success for both farmers
and their animals. Virtue ethics emphasize that there are specific ideas through individuals
should make decisions (Alford & Signori, 2014). These principles provide for the full realization
of humanity and kindness through critical reflection of what we yearn of becoming. Under the
ethical approach, human beings ought to act with specific values such as compassion, love,
generosity, and integrity among others (Brown University, 2018). Therefore, I intend to help
dairy farmers realize that there is a way that they acquire maximum productivity form their
animals even without mistreating them and denying their calves an opportunity to spend time
with their mothers.
Everyone requires fairness including animals and plants. The justice approach to ethics
highlights whether an action by an agent leads to favoritism or discrimination to the subject
(Baumard et al., 2013). According to Brown University (2013), the ethical approach allows